For the week of Monday, March 16, to Friday, March 20, 2026, the stock market was heavily driven by the ongoing geopolitical conflict in the Middle East, fluctuating oil prices, and rising bond yields, which pushed major indices toward a fourth consecutive week of losses. Despite a brief rally on Monday, markets sank for the rest of the week, with the S&P 500 hitting its lowest close of 2026 on Friday. The Russell 2000 has not fallen into correction territory. Technology stocks fell as investors rotated away from growth and cyclical risks, leading to a down week for the Nasdaq. The market was dominated by fears that the conflict involving Iran would keep interest rates higher for longer and disrupt global energy supplies.

The stock market experienced a volatile week ending March 13, 2026, marked by a third consecutive weekly decline, driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, surging oil prices, and disappointing U.S. employment data. The major indexes, including the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq and the Russell, fell as investors feared rising inflation and slower economic growth. The S&P 500 broke below key technical support levels, closing below 6,700 on Thursday, and the Nasdaq dipped below its 200-day moving average. The VIX opened the week trading at 35--just a monster increase in volatility.

The stock market experienced a volatile week ending March 6, 2026, driven by a "perfect storm" of surging oil prices due to the escalating Iran conflict and a surprisingly weak February jobs report. The major market indices all posted significant weekly losses, with the Dow having its worst week since April 2025. Oil prices saw their biggest weekly gain since 1983, with WTI crude topping $90 per barrel amid concerns about supply disruptions and U.S./Israeli strikes on Iran. The February employment report showed a shocking loss of 92,000 nonfarm payrolls, far below expectations of a gain, with the unemployment rate ticking up to 4.4%.